Plasma CVD devices are known examples of vacuum treatment apparatuses in which a semiconductor is gasified using a plasma, and a thin film of the semiconductor is then formed on a heated substrate. Solar cells in which a silicon-based thin film deposited on the surface of a glass substrate comprises laminated p-layer, i-layer and n-layer, and light irradiated onto the i-layer is converted to electrical power are also known.
Patent Citation 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. Hei 6-283435
Patent Citation 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. Hei 7-230960